pjherron
02-26-05, 12:20 PM
I'm new to this list but realize I'm perhaps recycling a recurring theme on this discussion list: which wheelset?
To be specific, I'm building up a planet-x kaffenback to serve as a multipurpose bike: I want a bike that will serve as a commuter, a fire road & trail bike, and a night-time & crappy weather trainer. I have an airborne zeppelin I hate to ride in the rain and I certainly won't commute with. And I certainly won't put lights on it for nighttime rides. and I have a cheapo fuji "mountain bike" that's crappy and won't take fenders or racks.
enter the kaffenback. I'm trying to pick a wheelset that will fit a pair of 700x28s, a wheelset that will take the occasional pothole and fire road. the bike will end up with fenders and a rear rack, so it won't exactly look sexy. I weigh about 180. anyway, I picked up a new pair of vueltas on ebay for $100. they looked quite slick but I had to send them back immediately: the hubs were sooooo cheap, as they spun like the bearings were as smooth as talus, and the outer bearing shield was made of an incredibly soft rubber that wouldn't have protected those, ahem, bearings from a sneeze much less rain.
the wheelsets I'm considering include:
- bontrager select
- alex 300s
- mavic a719 w/ 105 hubs
- open pro w/ ultegra hubs
- open pro cd w/ ultegra hubs
- shimano wh-r500
- performance forte gemini
- Cane Creek Aerohead AG
I'm not sure whether some of these hubsets won't take rain, or some of these wheels won't withstand the occasional rock or curb, or whether they're just plain crappy or way too heavy.
Which sound good? Which would just be plain stupid? Obviously I'll need to compromise one way or another.
Thanks in advance for the advice.
To be specific, I'm building up a planet-x kaffenback to serve as a multipurpose bike: I want a bike that will serve as a commuter, a fire road & trail bike, and a night-time & crappy weather trainer. I have an airborne zeppelin I hate to ride in the rain and I certainly won't commute with. And I certainly won't put lights on it for nighttime rides. and I have a cheapo fuji "mountain bike" that's crappy and won't take fenders or racks.
enter the kaffenback. I'm trying to pick a wheelset that will fit a pair of 700x28s, a wheelset that will take the occasional pothole and fire road. the bike will end up with fenders and a rear rack, so it won't exactly look sexy. I weigh about 180. anyway, I picked up a new pair of vueltas on ebay for $100. they looked quite slick but I had to send them back immediately: the hubs were sooooo cheap, as they spun like the bearings were as smooth as talus, and the outer bearing shield was made of an incredibly soft rubber that wouldn't have protected those, ahem, bearings from a sneeze much less rain.
the wheelsets I'm considering include:
- bontrager select
- alex 300s
- mavic a719 w/ 105 hubs
- open pro w/ ultegra hubs
- open pro cd w/ ultegra hubs
- shimano wh-r500
- performance forte gemini
- Cane Creek Aerohead AG
I'm not sure whether some of these hubsets won't take rain, or some of these wheels won't withstand the occasional rock or curb, or whether they're just plain crappy or way too heavy.
Which sound good? Which would just be plain stupid? Obviously I'll need to compromise one way or another.
Thanks in advance for the advice.